Excellent Liverpool dismantle Swansea

Brendan Rodgers side went into the game relatively confident in the knowledge of being unbeaten in their last five matches against Swansea and coming off the back of the scruffy win against Burnley.

Captain Steven Gerrard was rested on the bench alongside Markovic and Toure with Emre Can starting in the back three.  Moreno and Manquillo returned in wing-back positions and Mignolet started in place of the injured Brad Jones with Welsh under-21 goalkeeper taking up the vacant spot on the bench.

Rodgers starting with Sterling leading the line and three strikers on the bench said a lot about his confidence in his frontmen.

Liverpool ended the match conclusive winners with Rodgers pressing game being the conduit for both of the impressive Lallana’s goals.  Lallana now playing in a more central berth, looks to have finally overcome his injury and the expectation levels from such a large price tag.  Swansea may have secured 56 per cent of the possession, but as Liverpool know only too well it’s the cutting edge and potency that matters.

Liverppol’s high tempo was exhibited in a searing early move as Sterling fed Moreno out on the left with the left-back firing in a low cross for Sterling to hit instantly only for Fabianski to pull off a stunning reaction save and Lallana to fire over close in.

Apart from a small spell Liverpool continued to enjoy possession in the last third and finally got their just rewards.  Sakho, who impressed with his short forward short passing found Moreno moving in from the left to find Lallana, who in turn located the marauding Jordan Henderson to exquisitely place his cross for Moreno to stab home from close range.

Coutinho affecting the game in the final third ended the half with a stinging drive palmed away by Fabianski.

Martin Skrtel got himself booked rugby tackling Wayne Routledge early in the second-half putting himself out of the contention for the next home game against Leicester.

A minute later Lallana’s perseverance was rewarded after Fabianski’s attempted clearance ricochet off him and floated into the net.  Liverpool’s two-nil lead lasted barely two minutes as straight from the kick-off Sigurdsson scored after some pretty tepid and ineffectual defending.

The game was now open from end to end.  Liverpool counter-attacked from a corner with Lucas finding the surging Henderson, the midfielder enjoying more of a central role played a glorious cross for Sterling ghosting in to volley against the post.

Liverpool are playing with more freedom and intensity in the final third than at any time during the season barring the Spurs game.  The link between Lallana, Coutinho and Sterling could not have been better illustrated than the move for Lallana’s second goal.

Lallana played the ball into Coutinho and the mercurial Brazilian delivered a mesmeric flick back to Lallana to drift past two defenders as Sterling took the attention of the remaining defenders running in the opposite direction to dispatch his shot beyond Fabianski.  The telepathy was on view again with Lallana finding Sterling only for Liverpool’s temporary striker to overrun the ball as he rounded Fabianski.

Any hope Swansea maintained of getting back was dashed when Jonjo Shelvey, lucky to be still on the pitch after his stray arm found its way into Can’s face, saw his attempted defensive header skim of his head and in the net from Henderson’s corner.

With the game secured, Balotelli and Borini were afforded a run out.   Gomis displayed some excellent footwork striking the bar with Liverpool coasting to victory.

Man of the Match:  Adam Lallana – Worked his socks off being the modus operandi for Brendan Rodgers pressing method and his first goal was deserved for his hard work.  He was coolest personified in the way he clinically dispatched his second goal displaying the confidence and coolness which he was renowned for at Southampton.  He looks now to be taking on the mantle of a senior player in the side and his link up play with Coutinho and Sterling is the team’s attacking weapon.

Critical eye:  Emre Can demonstrated a calmness on the ball which shows he could develop into a very important player in the club’s future.  He is a multi-faceted player capable of playing in a variety of roles (hopefully graduating in a central or holding midfield role).

Sakho confidence levels are rising by the game shown by his flicks out of defence, but it was his short passing forward which caught the eye.  It was his initial pass which launched the move for the first goal and he tried unsuccessful to cover as Jordan Henderson left a whole in the defence after vacating his defensive duties.

Swansea is only one victory, but the question is whether Liverpool unremitting pressure throughout the match was enabled because without Steven Gerrard the younger legs were able to force pressure in all areas, rather than the team being built around a player allowing him to play.  There is no doubt Gerrard is still a key player, but it shows that Liverpool can win games without him and they have and will have to find players who can step up to the plate.

Teams:

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 23 Can, 37 Skrtel, 17 Sakho, 19 Manquillo, 21 Lucas, 14 Henderson, 18 Moreno, 20 (Lallana (Markovic – 77 mins), 31 Sterling (Balotelli – 83 mins), 10 Coutinho (Borini – 90 mins)

Subs: K Toure, 8 Gerrard, 9 Lambert, 29 Borini, 45 Balotelli, 50 Markovic, 52 Ward

Swansea: 1 Fabianski, 29 Richards (Rangel – 45 mins), 33 Fernandez, 6 Williams, 3 Taylor, 7 Britton (Ki Sung-yeung – 67 mins), 8 Shelvey, 12 Dyer, 23 Sigurdsson, 15 Routledge, 10 Bony (Gomis – 62 mins)

Subs: Ki Sung-yeung, 11 Emnes, 14 Carroll, 18 Gomis, 22 Rangel, 25 Tremmel, 27 Bartley

Referee: Andre Marriner

Attendance: 44,714